This invention relates to improvements in a starting system for internal combustion engines.
FIG. 1 shows a prior-art starting system for an internal combustion engine. Referring to the figure, numeral 1 designates a starter, and numeral 2 a motor which generates rotating power. A spline tube 3 is held in spline engagement with the rotary shaft 4 of the motor 2 in a manner to be slidable frontwards and backwards on the rotary shaft 4, and it has a pinion 5 fastened to the front end part thereof. A shift lever 6 is held in engagement with the spline tube 3 by the insertion of the former in a recess 3a provided in the outer peripheral surface of the latter, and it is swiveled about a fulcrum 6a by a solenoid plunger 7 so as to move the pinion 5 in the direction of arrow A or B. Numeral 8 indicates a gear which is brought into meshing engagement with the pinion 5 when this pinion is reset, and which is fastened to a power take-off shaft 9. Numeral 10 indicates a journal box in which the power take-off shaft 9 is journaled. A flywheel 11 is fastened to the crankshaft 12 of an engine (not shown), and a ring gear 13 is snugly fitted (shrinkage fitted) onto the outer peripheral surface of an end part of the flywheel 11.
In operation, when the solenoid plunger 7 is energized, the shift lever 6 is swiveled about the fulcrum 6a by the urging force of the plunger. Thus, the spline tube 3 is shifted frontwards (in the direction of arrow A) on the rotary shaft 4, and the pinion 5 is brought into meshing engagement with the ring gear 13. Thereafter, when the motor 2 is started to generate a turning force, the ring gear 13 is rotated, and the engine, being a first load, is started through the crankshaft 12. Subsequently, when the solenoid plunger 7 is deenergized, the spline tube 3 is reset in the direction of arrow B through the shift lever 6, and the mesh between the pinion 5 and the ring gear 13 is released. The resetting operation brings the pinion 5 into mesh with the spur gear 8. In this state, the motor 2 is rotating. Accordingly the gear 8 is rotated through the pinion 5, and a second load such as a pump, not shown, is driven by the power take-off shaft 9.
The prior-art system is as stated above, and the power take-off shaft 9 for driving the second load such as the pump is installed in a manner to be spaced from the motor 2. This has led to such a disadvantage that the system becomes complicated in structure and large in size on account of problems involved in the mounting of the starter.